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American's restaurant industry continues to grow and is expected to reach record numbers in terms of sales, locations and employees. When looking at the state level, Georgia is a top contender in job growth, culinary trends and innovation.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2015 Restaurant Industry Forecast, restaurants will employ 14 million individuals in 2015. This year will also mark the 16th consecutive year in which restaurant industry employment will outpace overall employment growth. Additionally, by 2025, restaurant industry employment will reach 15.7 million.

When you visit a restaurant and talk with the restaurant owner or manager, chances are that they will tell you their first job was in the restaurant industry. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), 80 percent of restaurant owners and/or managers started in entry-level positions, while nine out of 10 salaried restaurant employees started in hourly positions. Whether it was bussing tables, washing dishes or serving tables, many individuals began their careers in the restaurant industry.

Ryan Turner, one of three self-described “bozos” who’ve made a name for themselves in Atlanta’s restaurant scene, was chatting with some fellow restaurateurs a few weeks back. The occasion was the Georgia Restaurant Association’s annual Grace industry awards and the crowd was, as you would expect, informed and invested and possessed by the optimism that comes from promoting an immutable truth: We all must eat.

Labor Commissioner Mark Butler’s re-election elevator pitch seemed simple enough. First, point to the Republican “R” next to his ballot name. Then tout a pragmatic fiscal approach to a crowd of conservative sympathizers. Butler could have ridden a recovering economy back into office, with jobs being added, layoffs decreasing and tax revenue up.